Tap any paragraph to write a margin note. Your notes collect in the Desk below the text and file under cases with @. The side-by-side margin rail opens on a larger screen.

Code · CFR · Title 26 — Internal Revenue · Part 1 · § 1.537-2

§ 1.537-2. Grounds for accumulation of earnings and profits.

440 words·~2 min read·/us/cfr/t26/s§ 1.537-2·

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)In general. Whether a particular ground or grounds for the accumulation of earnings and profits indicate that the earnings and profits have been accumulated for the reasonable needs of the business or beyond such needs is dependent upon the particular circumstances of the case. Listed below in paragraphs
(b)and
(c)of this section are some of the grounds which may be used as guides under ordinary circumstances.
(b)Reasonable accumulation of earnings and profits. Although the following grounds are not exclusive, one or more of such grounds, if supported by sufficient facts, may indicate that the earnings and profits of a corporation are being accumulated for the reasonable needs of the business provided the general requirements under §§ 1.537-1 and 1.537-3 are satisfied:
(1)To provide for bona fide expansion of business or replacement of plant;
(2)To acquire a business enterprise through purchasing stock or assets;
(3)To provide for the retirement of bona fide indebtedness created in connection with the trade or business, such as the establishment of a sinking fund for the purpose of retiring bonds issued by the corporation in accordance with contract obligations incurred on issue;
(4)To provide necessary working capital for the business, such as, for the procurement of inventories;
(5)To provide for investments or loans to suppliers or customers if necessary in order to maintain the business of the corporation; or
(6)To provide for the payment of reasonably anticipated product liability losses, as defined in section 172(j), §§ 1.172-13(b)(1), and 1.537-1(f).
(c)Unreasonable accumulations of earnings and profits. Although the following purposes are not exclusive, accumulations of earnings and profits to meet any one of such objectives may indicate that the earnings and profits of a corporation are being accumulated beyond the reasonable needs of the business:
(1)Loans to shareholders, or the expenditure of funds of the corporation for the personal benefit of the shareholders;
(2)Loans having no reasonable relation to the conduct of the business made to relatives or friends of shareholders, or to other persons;
(3)Loans to another corporation, the business of which is not that of the taxpayer corporation, if the capital stock of such other corporation is owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholder or shareholders of the taxpayer corporation and such shareholder or shareholders are in control of both corporations;
(4)Investments in properties, or securities which are unrelated to the activities of the business of the taxpayer corporation; or
(5)Retention of earnings and profits to provide against unrealistic hazards. [T.D. 6500, 25 FR 11737, Nov. 26, 1960, as amended by T.D. 8096, 51 FR 30484, Aug. 27, 1986]
Connections2 off-index
2 references not yet in our index
  • T.D. 6500
  • T.D. 8096
Citation graph
cites case law
§ 1.537-2
Grounds for accumulation of earnings and profits.
Treas. Dec.T.D. 6500
Treas. Dec.T.D. 8096
Cites 2Cited by 0 across 0 sources
★   the supreme law of the land   ★
Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

"If you don't know your rights, you don't have any."

Marginalia · a citizen's law index
A research desk, not legal advice. Always read the cited source before relying on a summary.
Questions or an issue? support@self-law.org
disclaimerMarginalia is a research index, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal, tax, or financial advice and no attorney–client relationship is formed by using it. Statutes, regulations, and case law change; summaries, search results, AI output, and member posts may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Any interpretation drawn from material on this site should be validated by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you act on it.